Strong low pressure dropped southeast across northern Wisconsin into northern Lower Michigan during the day on the 7th. As is typical of an "Alberta Clipper" type system, very strong winds swept down the southwest side of the low pressure circulation.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
Strong low pressure dropped southeast across northern Wisconsin into northern Lower Michigan during the day on the 7th. As is typical of an "Alberta Clipper" type system, very strong winds swept down the southwest side of the low pressure circulation. Although all of Iowa reported winds of 25 to 35 MPH with gusts to around 50 MPH, a narrow ribbon of high winds buffeted north central and northeast Iowa. The winds were centered from near Fairmount, Minnesota through Mason city into Waterloo. Winds were sustained just above 40 MPH in this band with wind gusts as high as 56 MPH. The winds lasted a couple hours in any one location with the enter event taking several hours to cross the state. Spotty damage was reported, but since spring foliage was not yet out the damage was limited.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 7, 2:20 AM CST, 4 hours 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 220 AM CST SUN MAR 7 2004 MAIN CONCERN WILL BE WINDS AS PROLFIERS SHOWS 50+ KNOTS JUST OFF THE SURFACE AND DAY FOR GOOD MIXING IAW FORECAST SOUNDINGS. WITH PLENTY OF MIXING AND CAA NOT THAT COLD HAVE UPPERED TEMPS TDA AS OVRNGT LOWS NOT FALLING OFF MUCH. GRADIENT SHULD BE RELEXAED BY4 OR 5 PM HWVR HISTORY IS WINDS REMAIN UP INTOERY EVENING. QUICK RETUNR TO WAA ON MONDAY. MODELS HAVE PICKED UP THIS TREND AND GUIDANCE MUCH WARMER THAN YESTERDAY ATTM. PATTERN SET UP WITH SERIIES OF S/W AND SFC FNTTS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA FIRST HALF OF THE WEEK. HAVE EXPANDED AREA AND UPPED POPS FOR LT TUE NGT AND WED AS SYSTEM LOOKING STG THAN PREVIOUS RUN AND AT LEAST AS STRONG WITH DYNAMICAL FIELDS AS LAST NIGHTS SYSTEM. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...WIND ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM ENTIRE CWA && FORSTER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 505 AM CST SUN MAR 7 2004 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086- 092>097-081200- ADAIR-ADAMS-APPANOOSE-AUDUBON-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN- CARROLL-CASS-CERRO GORDO-CLARKE-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DAVIS-DECATUR-EMMET- FRANKLIN-GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-HANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT- JASPER-KOSSUTH-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MARSHALL-MONROE- PALO ALTO-POCAHONTAS-POLK-POWESHIEK-RINGGOLD-SAC-STORY-TAMA-TAYLOR- UNION-WAPELLO-WARREN-WAYNE-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT- 505 AM CST SUN MAR 7 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 45 TO 50 MPH WILL PERSIST MUCH OF THE DAY WITH IMPROVEMENT LATE IN THE DAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. FORSTER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
11 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2004Every state in 2004This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, March 2004
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5387496, 5387497, 5387498, 5387499, 5387500, 5387501, 5387502, 5387503, 5387504, 5387505, 5387506.